Kiss Me On This Cold December Night
by immysaurus
Summary: Remus and Hermione both get what they want most this Christmas. Smutty & fluffy ficlet. AU. Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

_Hello, m'dears! This is my very first Harry Potter story here on FF so I hope people will enjoy it. This was born from my dislike of the Ron/Hermione pairing really; I mean, let's face it, she needs a man not a boy! I would appreciate any reviews or feedback which may come my way but please no flames. Hope you enjoy! :) _

_**Summary: **__Remus and Hermione both get what they want most this Christmas. Fluffy and smutty ficlet. AU  
__**Pairing: **__Remus/Hermione.  
__**Rating: **__M - definitely M for smut & sexual content! So if you don't like that sort of thing, I suggest you turn back now.  
__**Disclaimer: **__All characters belong to the completely brilliant Jo Rowling, I only borrow them to play with ;) All lyrics used at the beginning of each chapter belong to their artists respectively. _

* * *

**Kiss Me On This Cold December Night **|** Part I**

_Stockings are hung with care as children sleep with one eye open  
__Well, now there's more than toys at stake 'cause I'm older now, but not done hoping  
__The twinkling of the lights, as Santa carols fill the household  
__Old Saint Nick has taken flight with a heart on board, so please be careful  
__Each year I ask for many different things  
__But now I know what my heart wants you to bring  
__So please just fall in love with me this Christmas  
__There's nothing else that I will need this Christmas  
__Won't be wrapped under a tree, I want something that lasts forever  
__So kiss me on this cold December night  
_'**Cold December Night' **|** Michael Bubl****é**

* * *

Number twelve, Grimmauld Place barely looked recognisable. Hermione thought that newly-weds, Harry and Ginny had really outdone themselves in making the old Black family home a comfortable and much more hospitable place to live. It looked even more splendid at the moment for it had been lavishly decorated for the Christmas party that Harry and Ginny were throwing to celebrate their first Christmas together as a couple. However, the season of joy and goodwill was not cause for happy celebration for everyone.

Hermione Granger was sat in a chair in the corner of the drawing room where the party was being held, staring unseeingly into a glass of wine, trying with all her might to keep her gaze off a certain Remus Lupin. She really couldn't complain about her life these days. She had a circle of close and faithful friends whom she loved dearly, and a great, well-paid job at the Ministry of Magic in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, where she worked tirelessly to improve the livelihoods of house elves. Remus was now working in the same department as her and the pair of them had become extremely close friends, especially in the aftermath of the War and so many lives of loved ones had been lost.

Remus had tragically lost his beloved Nymphadora in battle, leaving him a widowed father of little Teddy. And while he adored his young son with all his heart, the struggle of single-handedly raising a baby while dealing with his lycanthropy was more than he could bear at times. And that was when Hermione had stepped up to help him. During Remus' monthly transformations, she would take care of Teddy, and she had been a great support for him and Remus following Tonks' death. As a result, a great friendship had blossomed between the pair of them, finding solace and a confidant in one another. They would talk, laugh, share meals and read together, each enjoying the other's company immeasurably.

But as time went on, Hermione had discovered that what she felt towards Remus went beyond friendship. She had fallen deeply in love with him...and she was utterly afraid of telling him so. She had held her tongue all this time because she didn't want to ruin their friendship. But it was driving her mad, having to control her true feelings.

What made matters worse, for the past week or so, Remus had seemed to be avoiding her and Hermione felt a bit hurt as she didn't understand what she had done to provoke such actions. Did he know how she really felt about him and now couldn't bear to even be in the same presence as her? The very thought was both saddening and embarrassing.

She'd had the teensiest hint of a crush on him back in her third year at Hogwarts but she hadn't dared tell anyone that – not even Harry and Ron. _Especially _not Ron. After the way he had reacted to her having a crush on Lockhart the previous year, he would never had let her live it down if he found out she had a thing for Lupin as well. He would've made out she had some sort of strange fetish for Defence professors.

She had tried distracting her attentions by dating other men, though none of those relationships (if she could call them that) ever lasted. Those guys only ever seemed to be after one thing, and even if they weren't, Hermione couldn't help but keep comparing them to Remus. To her, there was no one else like him.

Once again, her gaze was drawn to Remus like a moth to a flame and she watched him for a moment as he was chatting with Hagrid on the other side of the room. Hermione let out a laboured sigh.

Unbeknownst to her, however, Remus was having exactly the same battle in his own mind.

* * *

For about the thousandth time that evening, Remus found his eyes straying to a certain beautiful witch. It was _very _hard not to as she looked particularly lovely tonight, dressed in a simple but elegant mauve dress for the occasion, her bushy hair swept back into a messy bun. It was all he could do to stop himself marching over to her and snogging her senseless. A couple of times, he caught her looking at him but he was hardly surprised; he had been deliberately avoiding her the last week and no doubt she would've been wondering why.

He honestly couldn't have gotten through those first few months after losing Dora without Hermione's help and support. She was there to help pick up the pieces when he was feeling at his lowest, to lend a sympathetic ear when he needed it and he had come to eagerly look forward to their time spent together. He tried to tell himself that what he felt for Hermione was strictly platonic. She was his best friend's son's best friend for Merlin's sake! And no doubt, there would be those who would heartily disapprove of them being a couple. But Remus couldn't help the way he felt. Yes, he had loved Tonks and always would do. But he knew that Dora wouldn't have wanted him to be miserable and lonely for the rest of his life; she would've wanted him to be happy. But what if Hermione didn't feel the same way?

Foolishly, he had thought that perhaps in distancing himself from Hermione would purge her from his system. But no; the more he avoided her, the more she seemed to consume his every thought.

"Remus," spoke up Mrs Weasley, jarring the werewolf out his musings. "Would you mind rushing down to the cellar for some more Butterbeer? They're drinking us dry here..."

"No, of course not, Molly..."

He was extremely grateful for the distraction and the opportunity to escape from the noise and raucousness of the party, so he left for the cellar without any protest.

Hermione watched Remus exit the drawing room, her mind buzzing. It was now or never...She could now get him on his own. She _had _to tell him how she felt! She chugged down the rest of her remaining wine for Dutch courage and also headed for the door. She managed to slip away without anyone questioning her; most were too drunk to notice anyway.

Remus' keen hearing told him of her arrival before she had even entered the cellar. He looked up as she hovered in the doorway and his heart couldn't help but skip a few beats at the sight of her.

"Hello," she said, plastering on what she hoped was an easy smile, which he returned.

"Hello," he answered, not entirely sure what to say. God, he felt like a teenager again!

"I haven't seen you around recently," Hermione said, trying to sound casual but was nervously wringing her hands.

"No...well, you know how it is – with the run up to Christmas...everything's so hectic – " Remus invented quickly.

Hermione took a deep breath, screwing up all the courage she could muster, helped along a bit by the wine she'd been drinking that evening.

'_Oh, for Merlin's sake, Granger, just do it!' _her mind screamed at her.

"I wanted to tell you something..." she said, stepping closer to him slowly as she spoke. "...because at Christmas, people are meant to tell the truth..."

Then it all happened so fast, Remus couldn't quite decipher how it happened. One moment she was about a couple of feet away from him...the next thing he knew, she was pushed flush against him.

Her lips felt soft, warm and inviting as she reached up to pull his head down to hers. She opened her mouth, inviting his tongue to dance with hers and delved her fingers of one hand into his greying hair, whilst the other clutched at the lapels of his jacket. She thrust her tongue into his mouth, battling with his. Her hands rubbed his body sensually. It drove him insane; Remus' mind screamed at him he needed to end this. His wolfish alter-ego, Moony, however, was having other ideas entirely. But Remus knew not stopping now would cause him to lose his last shred of self-control. He couldn't quite remember the last time he had felt the passionate, loving want for a woman that was now coursing through his veins.

After a few more seconds of delightful torture, Remus forced himself to break the kiss. As gently as he could, he backed Hermione up a step so that she was at arm's length.

"Hermione..." he managed at last, his voice cracking slightly, "I'm enormously flattered...but – "

But he instantly regretted saying those words when he saw it...the hurt that had flashed in her eyes, something that he had hoped never to see.

Hermione let out a choked, shuddering gasp like someone had just thrown freezing cold water over her, trying to cover the horror of her actions. Abruptly, she backed further away from him, tears welling in her eyes and her hands covering her mouth in anguish. Those same hands which had brought him such pleasure only moments before.

He wanted so badly to wrap his arms around her, to hold her close to him to quell her fears of rejection; rejection that wasn't actually there. He wanted to tell her that it was her that brought such light and meaning back into his life. That it was her of whom he dreamed about each night. And yet he also wanted to try and make her see sense; he was a werewolf – a _monster_, he wasn't fit to be with her. She deserved so much better...

But his conflicting thoughts were driven clean out of his mind completely when he heard the words come tumbling from her mouth that he had _so_ longed to hear.

"I've fallen in love with you, Remus," she cried in a rush, the words almost falling over one another. "I've tried not to...and there are probably lots of reasons why I shouldn't and I understand them – but I do love you, Remus! I'm _really_, _really_ sorry, I didn't mean to embarrass you – that's the last thing I wanted to do, I will never speak of it again!"

Before Remus could even contemplate an answer, Hermione turned on her heel and had hurtled out of the room. He stood there rooted to the spot, his eyes fixed on the place where she had just stood, completely stunned, trying to comprehend what had just happened.

Hermione flew up the stairs to the upper storeys of Grimmauld Place, trying and failing appallingly to stop the onslaught of tears threatening to break loose. Luckily she didn't meet anyone on her way up, so there was no one to stop her and ask awkward questions. Finally, she reached the room that she and Ginny had shared in the past, barrelled inside and collapsed onto one of the lumpy beds after slamming the door shut behind her, magically locking it with a loud click. The tears flowed more freely now and it was quite some time before Hermione managed to calm herself down. She felt humiliated and heart-broken. That had been her one chance to finally confess her true feelings to Remus and it had failed miserably.

Hermione sighed heavily and rolled over onto her back to stare unseeingly at the ceiling. She had well and truly blown it. She had ruined her and Remus' friendship now; things would never be the same between them again and she hated herself for it because she treasured their friendship more than anything else.

To make matters worse, she knew it was unfair to Remus, to think of him in such a manner when he didn't feel the same for her, though the way his body had reacted earlier had made it appear otherwise.

* * *

"Hermione? Hermione, please open the door, we have to talk..."

Remus felt his self-control slipping away as the minutes passed and Hermione still did not open the bedroom door. But now wasn't the moment for him to get all worked up; now was the time to get to Hermione. To hold her and to kiss her and maybe..._other things_.

After several more seconds of countless different fantasies rampaging through his mind, Remus reached out a hand to turn the door handle. It refused to budge and Remus was a little on the shocked side to know that Hermione had actually locked it. Had his reaction truly been that awful?

She had declared her love to him, kissed him passionately, run her hands over his form, and all he had said was that he was _'very flattered'_? Definitely the wrong thing to say. It was the sort of thing one would say in order to be diplomatic; to try and not hurt the other's feelings when you didn't reciprocate their affections. When Remus had said those words to Hermione, it was because he was so unsure of himself.

Remus shook his head before finally deciding to go through with what his mind was telling him needed to be done. He turned slightly, his enhanced werewolf hearing straining to listen if Hermione was standing anywhere near the entrance of her room. Then he pulled his wand from the inside of his robes and aimed it at the door.

"_Bombarda!" _

Remus felt as if a great weight had lifted off of him as the lock broke under the force of his minor Blasting Charm. The door swung back on its hinges and banged against the wall. Remus looked around towards Hermione's bed, his chest heaving from the built-up adrenaline and feelings of passion and hope coursing through him.

Hermione had let out a startled muffled shriek and sat up straight on the bed. Her eyes flew towards the door, fear pounding in her heart for a moment. She had thought for one crazy second that someone had broken into Grimmauld Place and was there to harm her, but she knew Remus had just been standing outside and wouldn't allow someone to hurt her. Her mind began to completely shut down as she spotted her friend standing in her doorway. The look in his eyes almost caused her to faint and rethink what she had thought happened.

The euphoria was short-lived, however, as Remus made his way towards her, his eyes dark with an emotion she had seen many a time in the eyes of guys she had dated in the past when they thought they were about to get lucky.

Hermione moved her slender form off the bed and took a step away from it. She watched as he froze for a moment as if she was his prey and he feared her jumpy behaviour. Remus then continued to approach her, not stopping again until he was standing right in front of her. He stood a good head taller than she, and as she looked up into his eyes, Hermione instinctively took a step backwards, only for Remus to grab hold of her arm, strong enough to stop her but not cause her any discomfort. His lips formed words but none fully registered in her mind.

She felt him tug her against him; she could hear his heart pounding by her ear. It was then that she felt herself being pushed back onto the lumpy bed, and then next thing she knew, Remus' face was inches from her own. She met his gaze, unsure on how to react. His eyes found whatever it was they were searching for and his lips crashed down onto hers, pushing her back onto the bedspread; his hands were everywhere, and after a moment's hesitation of shock, Hermione began to slide hers across his broad shoulders. His lips left a trail of wet kisses up her cheekbone, his face nuzzling into her bushy hair.

"As I was saying, Hermione...I am greatly flattered...However, I feel we should move this to someplace much more comfortable... "

His voice was strained and husky; the feeling of his warm breath on her neck caused her body to arch into him, her mind flying through the words, barely able to make sense of them. Remus' hands, which had been snaking their way down her waist, came to rest on her hips, pulling her ever tighter against him. He groaned when he felt her small but well-formed breasts press against his chest, longing to feel more of her. His mouth moved back to her lips, capturing them in a smooth kiss, trying to show all his feelings in one motion.

Hermione, who was having real trouble trying to keep her wits about her, came back to her senses enough to realise something. This was not the place where she wished to give herself to Remus for the first time; not in this damp, dusty and musty bedroom. She prised her lips away from his.

"Remus – wait – " she said. Remus stared at her, thinking for a moment she wanted to stop and had a change of heart. But his fears were put to rest as she continued, "I think my place would be a much better setting... "


	2. Chapter 2

**On This Cold December Night **| **Part II **

_If you could only see the beast you made of me  
__I held it in but now it seems you've set it running free  
__Screaming in the dark, I howl when we're apart  
__Drag my teeth across your chest to taste your beating heart  
__My fingers claw your skin, try to tear my way in  
__You are the moon that breaks the night for which I have to howl  
_'**Howl' **| ** Florence & the Machine **

* * *

A storm of different emotions were coursing through Hermione's being at that moment: excitement...nervousness...lust...anxiety...love for this wonderful man before her... It was all a blur...

She couldn't actually remember how she and Remus got from Grimmauld Place to her apartment so quickly. He may have Apparated the pair of them there for all she knew. But she neither knew nor cared; all that mattered was that he was with her, right here, right now.

Once outside her bedroom door, Remus turned to her to grasp her hands.

"Hermione, if you're not certain – "

But the words were stolen from his lips as Hermione gently supped them through her own. She pulled back to gaze into those beautiful silver-blue orbs to see the emotions that mirrored her own; the desire to touch and to be touched.

"I haven't been more certain of anything," she murmured, opening her bedroom door and entwining her fingers with his to lead him inside.

As soon as they had crossed the threshold, their lips were like a pair of magnets.

Hermione revelled in the softness of his lips; the way the scruff of his stubble tickled her skin, the velvet of his tongue brushing against hers... God Almighty, this man could make mere kissing a form of making love all by itself. Only when she heard a low, rumbling growl issue from deep in his throat, did Hermione break the kiss to pull him over to the bed. Remus' passion-clouded mind barely registered the fact that her cunning little hands were already beginning to make light work of his suit jacket and shirt. He heard her give a sharp intake of breath as her dark eyes roamed over his mutilated chest and torso, leftover scars he had accumulated from countless transformations.

Remus froze, bracing himself for any signs of disgust or pity from Hermione, but none came. On the contrary, the sight of him seemed to arouse her all the more.

"Hermione, I can understand if you don't want to – " he started, but she placed a finger over his lips to silence him.

"Hey, shh...Of course I want to... " she assured him, stroking some strands of greying hair which had fallen across his face out of the way, her fingers lingering on his cheek. "I think you're beautiful... " she whispered.

Remus covered her mouth with his own, his tongue dancing with hers until he heard Hermione groan with want and blindly glide her hands over his lean yet muscular chest, his skin hot under her touch. They broke apart to come up for air, and Remus took the opportunity to kiss the side of Hermione's neck, tracing his tongue over her fluttering pulse before returning to recapture her lips, kissing her until he heard her whimper.

His hands reached up to seek out the hair grips which were keeping her hairstyle in place, allowing the bushy curls to cascade onto her shoulders. His fingers roamed across the back of Hermione's dress, trying to find the zipper, and letting out faint noises of frustration when he couldn't find what he was looking for.

Hermione pulled back slightly to whisper against his lips, "Zip's at the side."

She swallowed back her slight anxiety, keeping her eyes closed as Remus continued to lavish her mouth with searing kisses and unzipped her satin dress. The dress fell down to pool around her ankles and she opened her eyes to kick the garment aside. Then Remus, his heart pounding frantically and his breathing becoming faster, reached out to unclasp her plain strapless bra, cursing under his breath when he couldn't get it unhooked. When at last he succeeded, he let it fall to the floor.

As Remus' fingers ghosted over her skin to lightly trace the outline of her matching briefs, Hermione let out the tiniest of moans, begging him to continue. He slipped them off and Hermione stepped out of her heels, her eyes fixed firmly on the bedroom carpet, feeling self conscious under Remus' scrutiny of her now very much naked body. Remus thought he had lost the ability to breathe as his eyes roamed over the creamy swell of her breasts, her slender waist which lead down to the womanly curves of her hips.

As she automatically brought her arms up to cover her chest, Remus reached out to stay her hands with his.

"Please don't hide yourself from me, Hermione... " he whispered hoarsely. "...You're stunning... "

Hermione let out a faint noise: a mixture between a scoff and a snort of disbelief, her cheeks reddening slightly. Remus brought a finger up to gently tilt up her chin so that her mahogany eyes could meet his own blue ones.

"You _are..._truly."

Hermione searched his eyes desperately, and she knew for certain that he was telling the truth. Nobody had ever told her she was stunning before. Nobody.

However, all coherent thoughts were banished from her mind as she felt the comforting heat resonating from Remus' body as he stepped closer to her, dipping his head down to claim her lips once again. His hands slid down to her hips to pull her flush against him, and Hermione groaned into the kiss at the feeling of his wonderfully bare skin against hers.

Hermione broke the kiss, gasping for air, and reached down to toy with Remus' leather belt, while he shuffled around to remove his shoes and socks. She pushed his trousers down so that they fell to the floor with a soft rustle of fabric, so now the only article of clothing separating them were his black boxers, the clear evidence of his excitement tenting them. Remus' breathing was becoming much harsher and more ragged, and felt great sparks of pleasure course through him like electricity as Hermione's fingers tugged his underwear down, stroking his skin lightly, teasingly, as she went.

Now it was her turn to gaze at her bare partner, and Hermione's heart fluttered and felt a great whooshing sensation in her stomach as she took Remus in, in all of his glory. The wolf in Remus was growling and whining with want and anticipation as he watched Hermione drink him all in, and thought he was about to lose control completely when he felt her nimble fingers brush along the length of his ever-hardening member. Hermione delighted at the sound of his groans and marvelled to herself over how something so hard could be so delicate... Like silk over marble...

Remus brought her face to his and kissed her roughly, the sensation of their interlocking lips and tongues lighting up a raging fire within both their bodies.

Unable to take it any longer, Hermione pushed him back onto the bedspread with surprising strength for someone of her inferior height, and crawled on top of him, her eyes never once leaving his. Remus was reminded forcibly of some kind of predator – like a vixen – stalking her unsuspecting prey. Hermione bent her head down to kiss his chest, her lips brushing along every single scar there she could reach, wanting desperately to obliterate any terrible memories each scar was associated with.

Remus lolled his head back with a throaty sigh as she kissed his erect nipples, migrating her way down his navel, her lips caressing the trail of sandy hair until she drew level with his manhood. She gently took him into her mouth, wanting to know every heavenly inch of him. She took his head a little way into her mouth, and with her tongue, she pushed up hard on the underside of his member and made as if to swallow. He moved restlessly beneath her ministrations, groaning helplessly as Hermione continued to explore his length with her tongue, teeth and lips. This was too much for Remus...

"Stop... " he rasped, taking great gulps of air. "Hermione - please! Stop, sweetheart... "

Hermione immediately released him, flushing tomato red.

"Did I do something wrong?" she asked in a small voice, feeling silly and inexperienced. What the hell did she know about pleasuring a man like him, anyway?

"No...far from it, that's the trouble," he answered. "You almost ended things too soon." Sensing Hermione's embarrassment, Remus sat up and stroked the side of her face in reassurance. "I fear that I wouldn't be able to control the wolf in me where you are concerned... "

He watched as her chocolate-brown eyes lit up with a silent challenge, her chagrin now vanishing.

"I don't want you to control it," she whispered, her face inches from his. "I want to see the lovely, gentle Remus Lupin lose it."

As she spoke, she reached down to lightly grasp his velvety shaft and started to stroke it again, and something inside of him snapped. Remus let out a growl and grasped hold of her hands before immediately rolling Hermione onto her back; she let out a little squeal of surprise as he held her arms up above her head, his lips hovering above her parted ones.

"Be careful what you wish for, love," he ground out, pressing his body to hers, the contact simply delicious.

Remus kissed her long and hard like a man starved, and Hermione responded fervently; once Remus had released her wrists, she clutched onto his shoulders in an attempt to pull him ever closer. His lips forged a path down her neck, hungrily exploring the soft skin there before trailing down towards her breasts, the heat of his mouth making Hermione arch her back beneath him. Then she emitted a shuddering gasp as she felt the hot cavern of his mouth capture one crested peak while his hand kneaded the other. As if of their own accord, Hermione's hands reached up to fist in his thick, greying hair to keep him there. Every scrape of his teeth, every suckle of his wicked mouth sent strange sensations of both pain and pleasure to surge through her being like wildfire.

Remus moved to the other breast, giving it the same treatment until Hermione whimpered his name loudly, beseeching him to stop this sweet torture. Remus tried desperately to keep his wits together but it was no use. His wolf counterpart was getting increasingly impatient; it could smell the tangy, heady female scent emanating from her nether region... This was a woman in need. He wanted to take her - _needed _to take her – right now. He released her, his face flushed, his mouth open as he fought for air and his eyes locked with hers. Hermione reached out a hand to stroke his mussed hair away from his face, favouring him with a disarming smile, and that was all it took for both Remus and Moony. He grasped hold of her thighs, jerked her legs apart and swiftly entered her without abandon.

Hermione let out a scream – half in pleasure, half in pain – as Remus buried himself to the hilt. He cringed when he saw drops of moisture appear at the corners of her eyes and saw them slide down, and he hated himself for causing her the sudden pain, but the wolf instinct was overpowering him, unrelenting and refusing to be ignored. Remus tried his best to make his thrusts slow and steady, but Moony was having none of that. Not waiting for her to become adjusted to his invasion of her body, he penetrated places deep within her that made Hermione see stars wink and flash before her eyes as her nails scraped down the length of his back, adding faint, fresh scars to those already present. Remus grunted as he thrust harder, his back flexing and relaxing as his body grinded insatiably against hers. Hermione tried desperately to keep up with his pace, but with little success as the wolf within Remus sought his completion, even as the wizard tried to hold the beast back. Hermione looked into his face to see his eyes were shut for the moment, but when they did open, she swore that she could see flashes of amber in those normally gentle silver-blue orbs.

Hermione felt her orgasm begin to hurtle through her being, making her cry out loudly as the man above her continued to ravish her body. She quivered violently from head to toe as the animal in Remus howled and broke free. His fingers digging into her hips painfully, he slammed himself into her repeatedly. Unable to hold back any longer as he took more and more from her as she cried out louder and louder with each hard drive inside of was panting out more air than she was able to take in, and was almost fearing she was about to faint; yet never once did she think of asking him to slow down or to even stop. Remus lifted his head slightly, greedily breathing in air. Then he withdrew slightly so that the very tip of his throbbing member was barely inside her...teasing her.

Hermione, still panting heavily, shot him an expression of a mixture between confusion and outrage that he had left her in this state. But then he suddenly surged forward into her fiercely, and she shattered and crashed down, screaming out his name. An wordless animalistic roar burst from Remus as his hot seed spilled inside of her, before collapsing on the bed next to her, breathing harshly, his heart pounding frantically but was slowly resuming its normal pace as the wolf instinct began to fade now that it was spent and satisfied.

He glanced over at Hermione to see she, too, was gasping for breath, her chest rising and falling rapidly as she gazed out into space as though in a daze. Remus' eyes drifted over her body and winced when he saw angry red hand prints marring her hips and thighs, and he cursed himself for it. He had not meant to have taken her in such a manner; he had meant to be gentler with her. But once again, he had found himself being dominated by that damned werewolf side of him. He closed his eyes, pressing shaking hands over his face. The only sounds he could hear were his receding heartbeat and Hermione's now regular breathing.

"I'm _so_ sorry," he suddenly said in a quiet mutter.

Hermione turned her head on the pillow to stare at him. She noticed that his eyes had returned to their normal blue.

"What for?" she asked.

"Hermione, I as good as behaved like a complete brute... I am _so s_or – "

But he found his words cut off as the young witch placed a forefinger on his lips. "Shush..." she whispered softly. "Don't be sorry. I asked for it, didn't I?"

"I've hurt you, look," Remus protested, gesturing to the red marks which were obvious on her pale skin, and he knew for certain they were going to become bruises.

"Oh, Remus, I'm a big girl, I can take it."

When she did not receive any response from Remus, she rolled over onto her side to cuddle up against him, stroking a hand across his chest in a reassuring manner. After a moment of silence, Hermione snuggled her face into his chest, his light smattering of hair tickling her nose.

She closed her eyes and said in barely more than a whisper, "I know you would never hurt me. I love you, Remus Lupin... "

Remus, who was exhausted by now, his own eyes becoming heavy, answered, "I believe the feeling is mutual, Miss Granger... " before promptly succumbing to sleep's clutches.


	3. Chapter 3

**On This Cold December Night **|** Part III **

_Any time I wake up and I see your face  
__Every morning it's a sunny day  
__Don't know how I ever lived life without you  
__But girl, you got me running to the highest place  
__So they can hear me screaming from miles away  
__Gotta tell the world how I feel about you  
_'**Tell the World' **|** Olly Murs **

* * *

_Aahh...vanilla... _

Remus felt pleased with himself for finally been able to identify the scent on Hermione's pillows. He wasn't sure what the time was when he had next awoken, though judging by the darkness outside of the closed curtains, he guessed it was sometime in the early hours of the morning as he and Hermione had not returned to her apartment till midnight at the very least. Sure enough, when he turned his head to check the clock standing on Hermione's bedside cabinet, it was indeed quarter past three.

He turned his attentions to the sleeping witch next to him, whose head was pillowed against his chest, and smiled. He could not remember the last time where he had woken up in an unfamiliar bed with his arm wrapped around a lovely woman.

Hermione mumbled something in her sleep and snuggled closer to Remus, as he brought up a hand to smooth her mussed hair away from her face, before letting it glide down towards her back. He caught the movement of his hand in the mirror standing by the wall opposite, and couldn't help but smile at the picture the two of them presented. They looked like a couple of predators resting after a successful hunt. He couldn't resist tugging down the bed sheet down just a little, enough to reveal the sweet curve of her spine, right down to her lower back. Her skin felt as soft as silk and was as pale as porcelain, and Remus' calloused hand delighted in this wide playground, as he used the mirror as a guide to trace patterns there with a forefinger.

His delicate touch caused Hermione to stir a little and she moved her head up slightly, and Remus took this opportunity to softly kiss her forehead, then her nose, then her chin. Her chocolate eyes slid open and she favoured him with a soft, sleepy smile.

"Hello," he murmured to her in greeting.

"Hey," she whispered, and Remus thought she sounded so content before she trailed a hand across his stomach. "You feeling alright now?" she asked with concern. At Remus' affirming nod, she said, "I ache in places I never even knew existed..."

She closed her eyes as she leaned back against his warm chest, thanking whatever Supreme Being there was above that he really was here with her and that the last few hours hadn't been a dream. Remus' stomach squirmed with guilt as he thought of Moony taking over him like that.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be so rough - "

"I swear if you keep apologising, I won't be held responsible for my actions," Hermione told him firmly, opening her eyes again. "I told you, I'm fine. I'm more than fine. You couldn't help it, Remus. Anyway, that's what healing potions are for..."

To emphasize her point, Hermione sat up to cup his face in her hands and kissed him softly. Remus' hand brushed her jaw as her tongue set out to explore his mouth once again. A guttural moan emanated from deep inside his throat. He wanted so much to prove to her that he could be tender and gentle in the matters of making love. He did not wish for her to look back on this and just remember how he had taken her as forcefully as a dog in heat.

"Can I please try again?" he whispered against her lips.

Hermione gazed into his eyes for a moment, slightly surprised at his request. His tone was quiet but the determination in his face was absolute, so she answered smilingly to his question, "Please do", all hints of drowsiness long gone.

Rolling them both over so that she was beneath him once more, Remus began placing open-mouthed kisses down the hollow of her throat and down across her shoulder towards her breasts. This time they were taking their time to savour one another. The wolf was now satisfied, no longer dominating Remus now that it had claimed its territory, so to speak, and Hermione felt that she was truly being made love to. This was like sleeping with a different man entirely.

She gasped out in pleasure as Remus lightly nipped at the soft flesh at her navel and then at her hip bone. He was inches away from her core but he deliberately took his time as he kissed the inside of her thigh, and Hermione's hungry moans lingered in the air, begging him to continue. After what seemed like forever, Remus turned his attention to her silken femininity. He placed the softest of kisses at her moist opening and Hermione moaned wantonly, arching her back. Encouraged, Remus parted her delicate folds like petals of a rose with his fingers and ran his tongue along the length of her sex in one long, slow lick. She cried out loudly, writhing on the bed, her hands seeming to be unsure of what to do themselves; they wound themselves through Remus' hair...clutched at the bed sheets, the knuckles turning stark white. Remus' tongue swirled and twirled, thoroughly enjoying the feel of her, losing himself in the erotic act he was performing. All he was aware of was the sweet taste of her, her cries and moans, his increasing arousal. He could hardly believe it was he who was causing her to react like this.

When his tongue brushed against her sensitive little bud of nerves, Hermione yelped and clutched onto his hair tighter. He took that precious pearl into his mouth, sucking on it before releasing it and bathing it with the tip of his tongue. Remus continued these ministrations enthusiastically until Hermione screamed out his name and he could feel her muscles convulse around his tongue. Hermione involuntarily bucked her hips up against his mouth, and Remus took the opportunity to slide his hands up to cup the round globes of her bottom to hold her there, lapping up her juices as her climax ripped through her body.

Finally releasing her, Remus rose his head to see Hermione's body had now gone limp, her breasts rising and falling as she panted heavily. Her normally pale face was flushed and he watched as her eyes fluttered slowly open. She shot him a sweet smile that sent Remus' heart somewhere to the vicinity of his knees as he crawled back up to engage in a light kiss. Hermione wrapped her arms around his shoulders, wanting him as close to her as possible as she also wrapped her legs around his waist. Brown orbs locked with blue, never once leaving each other as slowly, smoothly, ecstatically, he slid himself into her, the friction absolutely delicious. Hermione let out a shuddery gasp as Remus moaned.

This time, they didn't love each other with such frantic passion; there was no rush to enjoy their unity. Every move was slow, deliberate and gentle, their cries of one another's names lingering in the sultry atmosphere. They didn't stop gazing at each other as they moved and moved, seeing the pleasure they were feeling registered on the other's face. Each was asking the other a silent question: _'is this as beautiful for you as it is for me?' _

Remus' hands stroked her sides and thighs as he thrust harder; he could feel himself coming ever closer to that precipice, and Hermione wasn't far behind. She groaned his name loudly, begging him for release. Remus responded with a groan of his own which was almost like a growl, giving one last hard thrust, sending Hermione's body into spasms as she felt something deliciously warm flow into her.

The sensation was so excruciatingly immense, the feelings of euphoria so great, that Hermione could not even scream out in ecstasy. But no noise or words were necessary. She felt as if she were floating as she and her lover rode together the vivid crest of extreme blissful pleasure. Remus collapsed on top of her, his entire body was trembling violently from their intense lovemaking. His heartbeat receding, he rested his forehead against Hermione's, looking down to see that her eyes were closed, seemingly unable to move. When her eyes drifted open again, he let out a hoarse chuckle.

"I thought you'd passed out," he muttered with a grin.

"Don't flatter yourself," came the muffled reply and Remus' grin couldn't help but widen in triumph (and a hint of smugness). He made to move to get off her for fear of crushing her, but she slid her arms around his slick back to keep him in place.

"No...Please – stay here," she murmured. "I like feeling you like this...inside me... " Remus gladly obliged, relishing the feel of their connected bodies, unsure he had the strength to move anyway. "Seriously though...that was incredible. _You _are incredible," said Hermione shakily, reaching up a hand to stroke the side of his face softly. "Quite the talent indeed," she added with a smirk. Remus let out a quiet laugh and leant down to kiss her forehead.

"Thank you, I aim to please...I usually charge by the hour but it's two for one on special occasions like Christmas... " he teased, and Hermione laughed. "You're pretty remarkable yourself... " said Remus, leaning down to nuzzle at her neck affectionately.

Hermione said, "Oh, of course, it's Christmas Day...almost forgotten about that. Merry Christmas, Remus."

"Merry Christmas, Hermione." Yet another searing kiss was exchanged before Remus added, "But if it's alright with you, I think I need a reprieve, and I would very much enjoy simply lying here with you."

Hermione stuck out her bottom lip in a little pout for a moment but then she smiled.

"That actually sounds like a wonderful idea," she murmured, feeling suddenly very sleepy.

Remus returned the smile as he rolled onto his side, bringing Hermione with him. He pulled up the duvet to cover up the pair of them. Hermione cuddled up against him, their bodies which were still damp with perspiration melding together.

Hermione awoke a few hours later still snuggled up against Remus' warm form and when she craned her neck slightly to gaze into his sleeping face, her heart swelled. Remus looked so tranquil and was smiling serenely even in slumber. She briefly wondered what it was he was thinking or dreaming about which could be causing him to smile in such a way. She would have wanted nothing more than to just lie here in bed all day with him and simply forget about the outside world...

But it wasn't to be: today was Christmas and she knew it was only right for him to spend his time with Teddy – she wouldn't have had it any other way. That and the fact that her bladder was having other ideas, as well, unfortunately.

With much reluctance, she gently lifted the arm that was draped around her waist and set it to rest on his stomach. Remus stirred a little but did not wake and Hermione smiled to herself as she got up from the bed to try and locate a discarded piece of clothing. The first thing she grabbed, however, was Remus' shirt so she slipped that on instead, relishing the lingering scent there: chocolate, the smell of musty books combined with the cologne he had been wearing and something else distinctly masculine that smelt so... _Remus. _

After returning from the bathroom, she found that he still hadn't roused. Hermione thought he looked so peaceful and didn't have the heart to wake him, so she planted a gentle kiss on his temple before heading out to her kitchen, intending to cook him a breakfast in bed.

* * *

Remus woke up from one of the nicest dreams he had ever experienced. He and Hermione had been lying on a beach somewhere, and she had been wearing what he thought was the prettiest green bikini...Although, in his opinion, she would have looked a lot better _without _it. The sun had been shining down on them both, warm and pleasant on their skin, and the waves were lapping gently on the soft, brilliant white sand. Then, all of a sudden, the sun was far too bright, pulling Remus reluctantly into consciousness.

_It had been a wonderful dream, too, _he thought. He wished it could have gone on for longer.

Without opening his eyes, Remus blindly ran a hand over the space next to him but found himself not making contact with anything except the bed sheet. He opened his eyes and was disappointed to find his bedfellow was nowhere to be seen. He sat up and gazed blearily around the room, rubbing sleep out of his eyes and saw that the curtains had been pulled back, allowing hazy wintry sunlight to filter into the room – and Remus realised it must have been that which had really awoken him.

A truly delicious smell reached his nostrils, and, inhaling deeply, discovered it to be the divine scent of frying bacon, and Remus' stomach churned with hunger. He set about trying to locate his clothes but found only his trousers, so he slipped them on and followed that wonderful smell which was wafting through from the next room like nectar from the gods.

Remus paused on the threshold of the kitchenette at the sight before him, and leaned against the doorframe. Hermione was standing over by her cooker, tending to a sizzling pan of bacon and eggs, wearing nought but his own shirt, which was so large on her minute frame, she had had to roll back the sleeves several times and the hem fell to her mid-thigh. Remus observed her as she worked, apparently oblivious to his presence, a smile creeping onto his face. Merlin's beard, did he love this woman...

When she reached up to retrieve the salt and pepper pots from a top cupboard, her movements caused the shirt to rise up a few inches, rewarding him with a tantalising view of the bare flesh of her bottom. The wolf in him growled with desire and all of a sudden, Remus found he wasn't very hungry... At least, not for food...

"So that's where my shirt went," he piped up at last and Hermione turned her head at the sound of his voice and gave him a shy smile as he approached her.

Remus snaked his arms around her waist from behind and leaned down to murmur in her ear, "I must admit I think I prefer it on you... " before pressing a kiss to the sensitive spot below her ear.

Hermione grinned and involuntarily shivered at his touch as his hands found their way underneath the shirt and began to lightly caress her hips, eliciting a shuddery sigh from her.

"Down, boy," she told him playfully. "Otherwise you'll get a burnt breakfast. Just let me do this last bit, and then I'm all yours... " When Remus continued to lavish the side of her neck, she giggled and said, "Oi, you'll make me burn the bacon."

"Sod the bacon," he rasped against her skin, and Hermione quickly turned off the gas hob, turned in his arms and pulled his head down to hers to engage in a hungry kiss, all thoughts of breakfast long gone.

Remus was taken a little by surprise as she lightly pushed him down into one of the kitchen chairs and straddled his hips.

Needless to say, both of them discovered a far more enjoyable way to spend Christmas morning...and both of them had each got what they wanted most for Christmas.

**Fin **

* * *

_I'm sorry for the abrupt ending there but my muse had kinda dried up by then. Anyway...I hope you enjoyed it and please leave a review if you did! :) _

_Toodles for now xx _


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